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Being forced to change doctors can leave a person feeling confused, frustrated, and scared.

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The letter from my employer-based health insurance provider came about four months ago. As I stared at the letter, I felt a lump in my throat. It was not a bill, as I first thought. Instead, I learned I would need to change doctors by the end of the year. My current medical group could not reach an agreement with my insurance provider for 2018.

Another letter came from my medical provider a couple of days later to explain their side of the story. They also not so subtly mentioned the option of moving to a different insurance plan that did contract with them next year. Since I work as part of the small staff at a nonprofit church, changing insurance providers did not seem like a real possibility.

I came away feeling confused, frustrated, scared, and unsure of what to do next with my healthcare.

Can I Keep My Dermatologist?

I like my primary care physician, but the doctor that I feel I need the most is my dermatologist for my psoriasis. Over the past four years, I’ve invested in a collaborative working relationship with him that I thank God for just about every day. To hear that insurance might not cover my visits to him caused me understandable distress.

After making a few calls, I realized that nobody could tell me definitively if I could keep my dermatologist or not. One insurance representative told me that I only needed a simple referral from a primary care physician with my new medical provider group. Another agent made me fill out a “Continuation of Care” form. A physician at my current medical provider heard the insurance provider would most likely deny my request to see my dermatologist.

When I finally saw the new primary care doctor, he suggested I see the in-network dermatologist. He knew the referral to see my current dermatologist would most likely be denied. Still, I asked if he would put in for a referral, and he reluctantly agreed.

Two weeks later, with medications running out and no resolution in sight, I called the new doctor’s office to find out the status of my referral. Unsurprisingly, the medical assistant told me the process could take a while. After another week, I learned I could see my dermatologist one more time this year.

That day I learned that I could not keep my dermatologist starting in 2018.

Can I Keep Taking My Medication?

My key argument to stay with my dermatologist is to provide continuation of care for the new biologic I started recently, Tremfya (guselkumab). Tremfya is not only new to me. It was just approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this summer. Since my dermatologist knows how to prescribe Tremfya, and knows my psoriasis condition well, it only makes sense that he should continue to oversee my care.

Once I gave up on keeping my dermatologist, my next concern turned to keeping the new medication. I figured that since the insurance provider had already approved it, they would naturally honor that approval when I changed dermatologists. Not necessarily so.

The medical assistant explained how the insurance provider’s agreement with my new health provider might be different from the one with the old provider. In addition, the new dermatologist could decide to give me a different treatment, even though I am in the middle of taking Tremfya.

I did confirm I can receive one more injection this year. Whether I can keep my new biologic medication or not in 2018 is yet to be determined.

Can I Keep My Sanity?

I simply don’t want to see new doctors in a new health provider system. I feel like the foundation that I’ve come to rely on to provide for my ever-changing health needs, including unpredictable severe psoriasis, has suddenly shifted under my feet. No wonder my blood pressure spiked as I talked to my new primary care physician.

Living with chronic health conditions carries enough drama and uncertainty. Now I need to rebuild my support network on top of managing ongoing concerns like psoriasis, eczema, and asthma.

I blamed my low mood the week after seeing the primary care physician on the flu shot. But the sadness and disappointment of losing my dermatologist, and possibly my medication, finally sank in. I felt defeated.

Can I Find a Way Forward?

I know I’m not alone. Many of us face changes and uncertain futures when it comes to healthcare.

The way forward must include what does not change in the healthcare equation: me.

Short of a miracle cure, my psoriasis will persist in 2018. Doctors will come and go, as may some treatments. But my chronic health conditions need continual care for me to reach the quality of life I desire. I still have a say in what happens to me.

That means I need to continue to be my own best health advocate. I know my body and health history better than anyone. When I see new doctors, it is up to me to make sure they know relevant information about my condition so we can make the best decisions together. I reserve the right to find healthcare providers who listen and respect my part in the process.

No matter what happens in 2018, I want to keep a positive attitude and a hopeful approach to my healthcare situation. While losing my doctors certainly presents a major challenge, life continues. Taking care of my mind and soul, in addition to my body, is a winning strategy to not only having a healthy body, but a healthy life.

Howard Chang has lived with severe psoriasis since childhood. He writes about his experiences in ablog for Everyday Health and on hiswebsite.

Last Updated:11/3/2017

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